On All Saints we gathered for a parish forum with distinguished panelists and a delicious potluck, celebrating the life of Saint Damien of Moloka'i.

Speakers

Very Rev'd Father Herman Gomes, SS.CC.Provincial Superior, Congregation of the Sacred Hearts

Mr. Stuart ChingDiocesan Archivist for the Episcopal Diocese of HawaiiArchivist of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary

Dr. Frank Dann, MDDermatologist

Who's Who

Very Rev'd Father Herman Gomes, SS.CC.

Born and raised in Honolulu, Father Herman Gomes entered the Sacred Hearts Seminary in September 1967, graduating from Damien Memorial High School in 1971 and Chaminade College in 1974. In June of 1975 he made his profession in the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, and he subsequently graduated from the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, Illinois, in 1978 with a Master of Divinity. He was ordained to the priesthood on November 24, 1978, and he furthered his studies with a masters degree in Applied Spirituality from the University of San Francisco in 1986.

From 1978-80 he served as the Associate Pastor of St. Joseph in Waipahu, and from 1980-88 he was the Director of the Pre-Novitiate Program of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts. He served on the faculty of Damien High School from 1985-95, after which he was the Pastor of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Makawao, Maui, from 1995-97. He returned to Chaminade University as faculty from 1997-2003, and beginning in 2003 he served as the Associate Pastor of St. Ann's Catholic Church in Kaneohe until 2005, and then as Pastor of St. Ann until 2017. He is currently the Provincial of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.

Mr. Stuart Ching

Stuart Ching was born and raised in Honolulu. He is a graduate of Iolani School and Kenyon College. During his professional career, he has gained experience in various aspects of museum and archives operations. He began his career as research associate and education coordinator for The Friends of Iolani Palace. This was followed by eleven years as an archivist with the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum. In 1999, he became curator of Mission Houses Museum, and was later appointed as interim executive director.

In 2003 he accepted the position of curator of Iolani Palace. During his time there, he initiated a comprehensive textile refurnishing project. This resulted in the first period-room restoration at the Palace in 18 years. Since 2010 he has been employed as the archivist for the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. His responsibilities include overseeing the historical collections of the Congregation, and serving on the Relic Commission. He has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Hawaii Archivists, Hawaii Museums Association, and Hawaiian Historical Society.

At his home parish of St. Elizabeth’s in Palama, he is a former senior warden, and he is presently the secretary of the vestry. For the Episcopal Diocese of Hawai‘i he has been the appointed diocesan historiographer since 1997, and he has served on the Standing Committee.

Dr. Frank Dann, MD

Dr. Dann attended college and medical school at Columbia University in New York City, and he did his dermatology training at the University of California San Diego. He has taken care of 85 families with leprosy in Honolulu, and this involved visiting the Hansen's Disease patients on Kalaupapa, Moloka‘i. He has also visited the United States public health service hospital for leprosy in Carville, Louisiana.